From the news desk

Don’t release Oscar in Women’s Month: PWMSA

Share this article

The Progressive Women’s Movement of SA (PWMSA) has written to Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha opposing the release of paralympian Oscar Pistorius from prison.

There was concern that Pistorius was being released on correctional supervision during women’s month.

“We need clarity of why this month,” PWMSA Gauteng co-convenor Jacqui Mofokeng told News24.

“We didn’t they choose another month? They are rubbing salt into the wounds.”

She said the letter was sent to Masutha on Thursday on behalf of the 80 organisations, political and non-political, which made up the PWMSA.

The convicted paralympian is expected to be released from prison and put under correctional supervision, which is also known as house arrest, on Friday.

In June, the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board (CSPB) confirmed that Pistorius would leave the Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria on August 21.

On September 12 last year, Pistorius was acquitted of murder, but convicted of culpable homicide for shooting dead his model and law-graduate girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in the early hours of February 14 2013.

He fired four shots through the locked door of the toilet in his Pretoria home on Valentine’s Day, apparently thinking she was an intruder.

On October 21, Pistorius was sentenced to five years in prison for killing Steenkamp, and for three years – suspended for five – for discharging a firearm in a restaurant.

The Supreme Court of Appeal will hear the State’s appeal against the former athlete’s conviction in November.

In the letter, the PWMSA called on the minister to reject the parole board’s recommendation calling the decision “insensitive”.

“Whilst we acknowledge Oscar Pistorius’ constitutional right to be considered for parole like any other offender, it is our submission that placing him under correctional supervision during women’s month will be an insult to the victims of women and child abuse and the women of South Africa in general.” News24


Share this article

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

WhatsApp WhatsApp us
Wait a sec, saving restore vars.